The Towering Inferno Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 65 out of 79 people found the following review useful: Did someone leave a cigarette burning? from United States 2 February 2004 Having struck box office gold two years earlier with The Poseidon Adventure, Irwin Allen aided by the combined financing of Fox and Warner Bros., decided to do himself one better with The Towering Inferno. No expense was spared, as evidenced by Allen securing the services of two of the top box office draws available in Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. Next, he hedged his bet with a supporting cast that ran the gamut from William Holden, Fred Astaire and Faye Dunaway to soap actress Susan Flannery and football star O.J. Simpson. Add a lot of fire, a lot of smoke, a lot of flaming and charred humans and you have the makings of a box office bonanza. It's amazing that the budget was held down to a mere $14 million dollars even in 1974 dollars. Did it work?

The film grossed $116 million dollars which was quite a princely sum in those days so the answer to that as far as Allen, Fox, and Warner Bros. is concerned would be yes. Newman plays architect Doug Roberts who has been away in the jungle somewhere but is returning home just in time for the grand opening of the tallest building ever to grace California that he just happened to have designed. Doug is also returning home to his mistress played by Faye Dunaway to persuade her to join him on his next project. The head of the company building the tower is James Duncan(William Holden) whom has left a lot of the details of the construction of the tower to his no good son-in-law, Roger Simmons(Richard Chamberlain). That turns out to be bad news for everyone unfortunate to find themselves in The Tower. After some of the wiring in the building begins to have a major meltdown, Doug investigates to find that Roger has cut so many corners it could lead to a major catastrophe. Was there any doubt? Despite the abundance of headlining actors in Towering Inferno, the true star of the film is the disaster itself, just as it is in any of these concoctions.

Allen directed the action sequences with John Guillerman handling the rest of the chores. Allen does himself proud. Although we know of course that The Tower is not truly as tall as the filmmakers would have us believe, it's not obvious enough to detract from the film. It doesn't matter though, as most of the action takes place inside the building or near the suite at the top where most of our stars end up trapped. Of course this being a disaster film, we do get the privilege of watching flaming bodies fall over a hundred stories, be it it outside or down an elevator shaft. Allen also does well at piling on the suspense and keeps you on edge for long moments, with such things as a long climb up a flaming stare well and a long decent down a scenic elevator that will have you wringing your hands. The fire sequences are all well staged as you can almost feel the flames leaping through the screen and smell the smoke circling around the room. The problem with most disaster films is that with the good, there is generally some bad and Inferno is no exception. Some of the dialog in this film is truly horrendous. Example: Duncan: How bad is it? Halloran: It's a fire.

All fires are bad James Duncan: Give me the architect that designed you, and who needs Doug Roberts? Susan: I do. In one truly silly moment, after Dan Bigelow(Robert Wagner) and his secretary Lorrie (Susan Flannery)have just finished love making, the fire has engulfed the room next to theirs. Lorrie, being the ever observant secretary and mistress sniffs and delivers this line: "Did someone leave a cigarette burning?" The best of the actors is easily Steve McQueen. As Chief Michael O'Hallorhan who is called to put the fire out, he seems to relish has role as a fire department head. Paul Newman on the other hand is a mixed bag. When he's playing his scenes with McQueen, Holden, Dunaway, or Chamberlain, he's OK. In other scenes, especially when the fire initially breaks out, he appears stiff and uncomfortable. Fred Astaire is on hand as the whimsical con artist Harlee Claiborne out to bilk Lisolette Mueller (Jennifer Jones)with some phony stocks. Jones is one of the best things going in this movie, turning out to be quite the heroine.

Dunaway as Robert's girlfriend Susan is dry enough that we wish they could have brought Joanne Woodward in to give the relationship some real spark (no pun intended). Wagner as Dan Bigelow is a charmer but we just can't buy into his relationship with Lorrie (Susan Flannery). Susan Blakely as Patty Simmons, Holden's spoiled daughter and the wife of Roger (Richard Chamberlain)has nothing much to do except chastise her husband for causing Daddy a big headache. Chamberlain, on the other hand, seems to like playing the role of the villain and he does it well. You'll have no trouble believing just how big of a jerk Roger is. Last , is O.J. Simpson as the security guard who seems to be smarter than everybody else. The role requires little and in his big screen debut, Simpson gives it just that. No matter. The Towering Inferno will still entertain you. At 165 minutes, you'll only be looking at your watch in the first half hour or so as you wait for that one tiny spark to ignite a night of suspense.

Irwin Allen put quite a spectacle on the screen, but unfortunately never again duplicated it and with each subsequent film his product went from bad to being truly mediocre. Considering how much I really liked this film, it's a shame. Now, please put out that cigarette. My Grade: B from london 27 December 2003 When I was an impressionable teenager in 1975 I saw Towering Inferno 4 times at the cinema, Still a record for me, and despite the years and jaded view of middle age, this is still a thrilling film, mainly because the effects are so realistic, no CGI then, and the characters are so presented well (if a bit archly at times). I still cannot decide if the ending would actually put the fire out, but who cares, that countdown still gets to me. I forgot how good Paul Newman was in his role, and I can never forget Fred Astaire, such a smooth performance. Great cinema, daft in parts, but the best films always are. Was the above review useful to you? 53 out of 65 people found the following review useful: The Towering Inferno from United Kingdom 15 June 2005 What a movie!

it has an all star cast including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden and many more. The basis for this movie is the opening of the worlds tallest building, but things aren't as perfect as they seem as architect Paul Newman discovers inadequate electrical wiring in the building which could result in dangerous concequences. He then reports this to the buildings owner James Duncan but he doesn't think that it is a problem and still decides to go on with the opening ceremony which puts 300 peoples lives in the balance while trapped on the top of the 138 storey skyscraper when the building goes on fire due to the poor wiring, this results in unpredictable explosions and fires breaking out everywhere in the building. It is now up to fireman Steve McQueen his crew and the aide of the Navy to rescue the 300 people on top of the building and put out the fire. By far the best disaster movie ever made with a terrific all star cast. Not to be missed! Was the above review useful to you? 39 out of 49 people found the following review useful: Fire cracker from St.

Louis, Missouri 19 April 2004 The all-star blockbuster THE TOWERING INFERNO proves that you can make a bad film that still manages to be a great movie. Contrary to conventional wisdom, special effects and elaborate stunt work can actually be the star of a movie and provide ample compensation for poor writing, clumsy direction and really amateurish acting. THE TOWERING INFERNO is, of course, a disaster movie, the methodical destruction of a high-rise skyscraper, along with many of its tenants. It came on the heels of THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE and quite honestly is no match for that film's delicious mix of sappy sentimentality and hammy heroics. But, while its dramatic quality is only marginally superior to hack films like AIRPORT '75 and the atrocious EARTHQUAKE, INFERNO provides a masterful blend of audience manipulation and technical craftsmanship. As Paul Newman pointed out to the press, neither he nor his perpetual professional rival Steve McQueen are the star of the film: the fire is the star. And as appropriate to any star, the fire, in all of its glorious mayhem, is lovingly filmed and given a wide berth to overact with style.

The rest of the cast should be so lucky. The remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime cast (Newman, McQueen, Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Fred Astaire, etc.) behave like troopers, even though they are primarily reduced to being little more than high priced props. Most of the scenes involving actual human interaction seem rushed and the inept line readings of the inane dialogue suggest that no one bothered with retakes, let alone rehearsals. But such moments are little more than filler, marking time between some of the most remarkable actions sequences ever filmed. The helicopter rescue of the derailed scenic elevator is heartstoppingly thrilling, even as you realize that it is absolutely physically impossible. And it is overshadowed by the explosive final showdown with the villainous fire. Hollywood has cinematically destroyed greater amounts of real estate, but seldom with such style. As art, THE TOWERING INFERNO is a fizzle, but as a cheap carnival thrill show it's pretty hot stuff. Was the above review useful to you? 43 out of 64 people found the following review useful: The Best Of The Disaster Flicks?

from United States 3 April 2006 "Disaster Movies" were a big hit in this era, with airplane crashes, earthquakes, fires, etc. This one made huge fires and firemen fashionable for awhile. It certainly had people talking, and it may have been the best of those "disaster" flicks. The movie certainly had an all-star cast: Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Susan Blakely, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner and (gulp) O.J. Simpson. Even Jennifer Jones came out of a long retirement to return to films. It was really nice to see her again. What really surprised me about this film when I watched it earlier this year was that the special effects were still good, and the film is almost 40 years old. It was also good to see Steve McQueen being the good guy again. He was the best character in the film. The worst was William Holden, who turned out to play a lot profane-spewing nasty people as soon as the Hays' code was totally abolished in 1967. Same thing for Paul Newman.

McQueen, meanwhile, kept his class as did Jones, of course, and Astaire. The film is almost three hours long but, a few soap opera scenes aside, it's a solid adventure story that holds up well and it served a good purpose, making hotel owners more aware of potential fire hazards. Was the above review useful to you? 35 out of 49 people found the following review useful: McQueen and Newman create sparks from United States 13 December 2003 Your typical dumb disaster flick, produced by the king of the genre, Irwin Allen, made notable by the presence of Steve McQueen and Paul Newman who finally agreed to share the screen as equals, something they almost did in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." The ever competitive McQueen made his film debut with a bit part in "Somebody Up There Likes Me" in which Newman starred, and one of his ambitions was to finally get top billing over his number one rival. Even with the so-called "diagonal billing" employed in the film and its advertising (with Newman's name elevated slightly above McQueen's), those of us who read from left to right can see that McQueen got his wish. He also got the best role.

He's the firefighter, a tight jawed man of action, while Newman is saddled with the less sympathetic role of the architect. But the real star is the burning building. It burns, and impressively at that, but there's something very claustrophobic about this situation which results in less action than Allen's previous smash, "The Posiedon Adventure." But the acting is better. In addition to McQueen and Newman, the cast includes Richard Chamberlain (particularly good), William Holden, Faye Dunaway, and Fred Astaire. That's an improvement over Carol Lynley and Eric Shea, both of whom Gene Hackman had the misfortune of emoting with two years earlier. Whatever one thinks of this particular genre, "The Towering Inferno" is probably the best of the bunch. Was the above review useful to you? 22 out of 25 people found the following review useful: The crowning glory of a much maligned genre. from United Kingdom 4 May 2008 A newly built state of the art high-rise is hosting a big society gathering when a fire starts up on the 81st floor...

Warner Brothers & 20th Century Fox were both keen to cash in on the success of 1972s The Poseidon Adventure, Warner's buying the rights to The Tower, and Fox buying the rights to The Glass Inferno, both novels about burning skyscrapers and seemingly ripe for a big screen adaptation. Enter producer Irwin Allen who smartly suggested that both studios should come together and produce one blockbusting genre defining film. Splitting the cost down the middle, The Towering Inferno was born and went on to make over $100 million across the globe, a very impressive take for its time, and certainly a shot in the arm for disaster genre enthusiasts. The Towering Inferno is far from flawless, it contains some cheese sodden dialogue, and the film's running time doesn't quite do the film any favours. However, the film's strengths far outweigh the handful of negatives that are often used to beat it up with.

The sets are fabulous (Academy Award Nominated) and all to perish in the fire, the cinematography from Fred J Koenekamp (Academy Award Winner) is lush and puts the fire in the eyes, while the score from John Williams (Academy Award Nominated) is suitably poignant and edgy. What about the action sequences? The set pieces? With many of the illustrious cast doing their own stunts! All impacting sharp on the ears thanks to the brilliant sound from Soderberg & Lewis (Academy Award Nominated), with the cast itself a reminder of a wonderful time when only the big names were considered for the big projects, McQueen, Newman, Holden, Astaire (Academy Award Nominated) & Dunaway rolling off the tongue like a who's who of entertainment heavyweights. Some say that The Towering Inferno finally killed off the ailing disaster genre, no it didn't, it crowned it, and all the others that followed were merely trailing in its wake.

The Towering Inferno is a spectacular production that positively booms with high entertainment values, no expense is spared in the pursuit of entertaining the masses, it's thoughtful in texture and it teaches as it plays and it remains to me a wonderful archaic gem. 9/10 Was the above review useful to you? 18 out of 20 people found the following review useful: The Titanic Of The Skyscrapers 21 January 2007 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Although some like to compare The Towering Inferno to The Poseidon Adventure because Irwin Allen that master of disaster brought us both, in point of fact The Towering Inferno is more like a landlocked Titanic than anything else. It has to be remembered that the Titanic was on its maiden voyage and was ballyhooed as an unsinkable ship when the tragedy occurred. The building that William Holden built, that Paul Newman designed was also on its maiden voyage so to speak. The 135 story building in San Francisco was being dedicated and there was going to be a big blowout on the top floor with all kinds of VIPS in attendance.

Little does Holden suspect that his son-in-law Richard Chamberlain cut quite a few safety corners in the electrical wiring. When the whole tower gets lighted up, a fire breaks out in one of the circuit junction boxes and the party gets cut short. Paul Newman and Steve McQueen as the fire battalion chief head an impressive cast list of name players put in harm's way by Chamberlain's avarice. Fred Astaire got an Academy Award nomination for playing an elderly conman who tricks his way into the VIP gathering to fleece wealthy widow Jennifer Jones. This was Jones's farewell performance on screen, she retired right after that to become just the kind of wealthy society matron she plays here. The film got an award for Best Cinematography deservedly so, the shots are quite vivid and also the best song of 1974. During the party scene, Maureen McGovern who had introduced the popular There's Got To Be A Morning After in Irwin Allen's The Poseidon Adventure sings We May Never Get To Love Like This Again. It won for best song, but certainly didn't have the lasting popularity of the other.

The most vivid moment of the film for me besides the climax is the illfated rendezvous of Robert Wagner and Susan Flannery. They agree for a boss secretary rendezvous in his apartment there and Wagner turns off the phone so word cannot reach them of the fire. The death scenes of both will tear you up. According to the Films of Steve McQueen the reason for the joint production by Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox is that when two studios put out two Harlow films, both cut each other up at the box office and no one made out. Warner Brothers purchased The Tower and Fox bought the Glass Inferno screen rights. Rather than have competing disaster films, they made an historic interstudio agreement to have a joint production. I think it worked out well all around. Was the above review useful to you? 23 out of 32 people found the following review useful: Hot Potato. from United States 25 August 2003 "Grand Hotel"-styled disaster epic that, along with the original "Airport" and "The Poseidon Adventure", became a monstrous money-maker which dominated not only economically, but also critically.

"The Towering Inferno" is an intense affair as a high-rise skyscraper in San Francisco seems to be a state-of-the-art marvel, but sometimes things are not as perfect as they seem. There are still flaws in the building and naturally a small spark in a utility room will lead to an overwhelming night of terror and heroism. A who's who cast in Hollywood at the time makes up the mind-blowing list of performers. Paul Newman, Robert Vaughn, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Steve McQueen, Susan Blakely, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Wagner and Jennifer Jones all make lasting impressions. However it is Fred Astaire (in an Oscar-nominated role of a lifetime) and then-Buffalo Bill superstar O.J. Simpson (showing the style, grace and power that he showed on the playing field here in his debut screen performance) that stand out and create a higher dimension to an honestly corn-filled story. A terribly difficult production to pull off due to the very large scope involved. The technical effects compete well with the all-world performers to make a stunningly impressive movie. Near the top of the usually ho-hum genre of the period. 4 stars out of 5.

Was the above review useful to you? 16 out of 19 people found the following review useful: Classic star-studded disaster film.... Author: templer_doom (templer_doom@yahoo.co.uk) 20 July 2003 With the likes of INDEPENDENCE DAY and DIE HARD, which were both influenced by THE TOWERING INFERNO, a new awareness of the potential of the disaster film emerged, culminating in the likes of DEEP IMPACT, ARMAGEDDON and the more recent THE CORE. The definition of 'all-star cast' and 'star-studded' has changed substantially in the last few years and in fact, the true star of THE TOWERING INFERNO wasn't any actor or star, but the late Irwin Allen, whose career in this type of film ended with the poorly-received WHEN TIME RAN OUT. The film, which was adapted from two source novels, THE GLASS INFERNO and THE TOWER (both of which were bought by rival studios Fox and Warner to compete at the box-office - and then decided at the last minute to pool their resources into creating a single script) is impressive in scope and design.

For the uninitiated, one of the books deals with a disgrunted ex-employee who decides to cause an accident which starts a fire and in some ways that would have made a more intriguing storyline, but the plot of the actual film which involves cost-cutting to electrical circuits which causes the fire int the first place works as it is. At a running time of 158 minutes some may think the film too long. In this day and age there would have possibly been test screenings and some cutting of the film, but since the success of TITANIC at the box-office longer films have become the norm. Indeed, the more recent HARRY POTTER and LORD OF THE RINGS movies are in this bracket (although the upcoming KILL BILL story that the three-hour film will be split in two may pave the way for shorter lengths!!) Mind you, THE GREAT ESCAPE is of similar length and that film moves at a cracking pace. Steve McQueen is on screen less than some of the other stars in the film, but his performance is the best and complements others on show. Was the above review useful to you?

Page 1 of 20: Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: The Towering Inferno [VHS] The Towering Inferno [VHS] 4.7 out of 5 stars 404 3 people found this helpful 5.0 out of 5 starsThe Towering Inferno - Towering Cinematic Achievement BySerkan Okaron May 12, 2015 The Towering Inferno is one of those movies that is so perfectly crafted that it should be studied in film schools. There should be a film class 101: A film study - The Towering Inferno. This movie was made in 1974 (that is 41 years ago) with old-fashioned special effects that actually work better than today's CGI effects. There were sets built for the scenes, incredible stunt coordination with propane gas flames used as effect to create the impression of fire. Stunt people were actually set on fire (they were wearing special suits and equipment to protect themselves). And these are just the effects for the fire. Then there are scenes with the elevators. There are scenes with people being moved from one building to another with wires.

And the effects with water tanks explosions and high-pressure water hitting the people and bursting through the building. This is one hell of a movie. And I haven't said anything about the star power yet. This movie stars Steve McQueen and Paul Newman two of the greatest actors of their generation. This movie would be fun just to watch Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. But there is also Faye Dunaway and William Holden. Fred Allister won Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this. There is Richard Chamberlain, Robert Vaughn. OJ Simpson has a brief role as the security guard. Overall, this is a great, historical epic film which is still so much fun today to watch as it was back then. Bluray transfer is great and there are tons of special features, there are quite a few special commentaries for selected scenes. And a full-feature commentary. There are also quite a few featurettes on the making of the movie and behind-the-scenes specials, interviews with the actors, actresses and the people who worked on the film. I highly recommend The Towering Inferno to all movie-lovers.

Monday, 25 June 2012 The Towering Inferno I LOVE 'The Towering Inferno' - the best disaster movie ever made. Admittedly, I hadn’t seen it since childhood, and it holds up beyond my memories as a child enraptured by the fire engines. A fire engulfing the tallest building in the world; top notch, near-invisible special effects; Paul Newman and Steve McQueen occupying the same space. Plus, William Holden, Fred Astaire and OJ Simpson! 'The Towering Inferno' is a supreme guilty pleasure. The Towering Inferno (1974) dir. John Guillerman & Irwin Allen Starring: Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden, Faye Dunaway By Alan Bacchus Irwin Allen made a career out of cinematic spectacles, an entertainer at heart who, despite his kitschy subject matter, knew the movie business inside and out. Made in 1974 perhaps in response to the skyscraper battle between the World Trade Centre (1970) and the Sears Tower (1973), Allen’s story is set at the opening of the world's tallest building in San Francisco.

Paul Newman plays the building's architect, Doug Roberts, who arrives to attend the lavish party arranged by the builder, Jim Duncan (William Holden). It doesn’t take long before the building engineers discover a fault in the electrical capacity of the wiring. All it takes is a spark from a cut-rate wire barely above safety code to start a fire. Upon discovering the shoddy craftsmanship Roberts pleads to Duncan to delay the party, but with the dignitaries already getting smashed on the 135th floor, Duncan chooses to save face. The small fire soon turns into a big one, thus trapping the party-goers above it. Chief O’Halloran (Steve McQueen) commands the fire fighters with an intense workmanlike manner using his creativity and experience to get everyone to safety. As typical with the disaster genre, the antagonist is the environment, which strikes usually in response to man’s efforts to tame Mother Nature. In this case, the fire rages and grows uncontrollably. And often the moments of jeopardy can seem like overtly manufactured contrivances resulting in a fragmented collection of conspicuous set pieces. Conflict inevitably arises between the characters at the expense of common sense relationships. Allen and Guillerman manage to avoid these trappings admirably.

Take the Richard Chamberlain character. He's the corner-cutting engineer and son-in-law to Duncan, the builder. While he’s written to be a clear antagonist, his backstory as the working-class social climber looking for appreciation from his upper-class father-in-law anchors him in the real world. It's this concerted effort toward realism that elevates this disaster pic above most others in the genre. Steve McQueen’s immersive performance as the chief exemplifies Irwin Allen’s throughline of integrity. When McQueen arrives on the scene, he systematically goes through the procedural details of the job, retaining an unbiased professionalism and never losing his cool. A working man just doing his job, McQueen stays consistent to the very end, right up to the final shot even when we see him exit the building, nonchalantly hop into his car and drive away – like punching out of the clock. In these final moments screenwriter Sterling Silliphant includes a blatantly expository moral message about the dangers of architects and builders erecting skyscrapers higher and higher above their reach – “You know we were pretty lucky tonight, body count's less than 200.

You know, one of these days you're gonna kill ten thousand in one of these firetraps, and I'm gonna keep eating smoke and carrying out bodies…” – a statement which could have caused audience groans in 1974 but resonates prophetically in a post-9/11 world. We shouldn't over analyze The Towering Inferno for profundities though. Instead, watch and appreciate it as a great epic adventure picture and blockbuster cinematic spectacle. ***½ The Towering Inferno (1974) Starring: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden - Three Movie Buffs Review Reviewed on: January 26th, 2010 Fred Astaire and Jennifer Jones are the most likable characters. 1974 was the peak year for the all-star disaster movies of the 1970’s. That one year brought us Airport 1975, Earthquake, and The Towering Inferno. Set in San Francisco, this time around the disaster involves a fire in the world’s tallest building, on the very night the building is having it’s christening party in the promenade ballroom on the 135th floor.

This movie follows the same blueprint as The Poseidon Adventure only it takes place in a tall burning building instead of on a capsized ship. Take a group of people played by famous aging movie stars, throw in a couple of children and a ballad by Maureen McGovern, then light a fire and watch them fight to survive. This movie is nowhere near as good as The Poseidon Adventure. Besides the obvious fact that it is a rip-off of that movie it also lacks a good script with characters that you care about. The cast and some decent special effects are all this movie has going for it. How many movies can boast Paul Newman, Steve McQueen and William Holden? How about Fred Astaire, Faye Dunaway and Jennifer Jones in her last movie role? Richard Chamberlain, Robert Wagner and Robert Vaughn are here too. It also boasts O.J. Simpson, Dabney Coleman and Bobby Brady (Mike Lookinland). Surely a cast for the ages. McQueen is a fireman, Newman is an architect, Holden is the owner of the building blah, blah, blah. None of them are fully fleshed out characters.

Faye Dunaway suffers the most as she is given very few lines, she just gets to kiss Paul Newman a few times. Jennifer Jones and Fred Astaire are the best characters. In one scene they share a dance and the performer in Fred comes eagerly out. The last hour is pretty entertaining. The action builds to a decent climax and the effects hold up reasonably well. And boy is this a time capsule of the era. This was how cars looked when they still made them in Detroit. This movie is but a curiosity today, watch it for the cast or for the nostalgia but don’t expect too much. Did you enjoy Patrick's review? +18 Reviewed on: August 29th, 2014 Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway and Paul Newman in The Towering Inferno. The Towering Inferno was a huge hit upon its release. It was the second highest grossing film of 1974 (behind only Blazing Saddles) and was nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Supporting Actor for Fred Astaire, of which it won three for Cinematography, Editing and Song.

However, as Patrick said, it hasn't aged particularly well and today remains mainly watchable only as a curiosity thanks to its all-star cast. The plot of the film is based upon two different books. Warner Bros. owned the rights to "The Tower", while the master of disaster, Irwin Allen, at 20th Century Fox, owned the rights to "The Glass Inferno". Rather than compete with each other, Allen suggested the two pool their resources to produce one film, with Fox handling the US release and Warners the rest of the world. It was the first such deal of its kind, but one that has since become routine in Hollywood. The combined result of these two similar stories is one very bloated movie. Given how much could have been trimmed with no loss, the Oscar win for Editing seems rather ironic. Assembling such a big name cast was not without its problems. Steve McQueen had long felt a rivalry with Paul Newman since making his debut in Somebody Up There Likes Me in 1956 in which Newman starred. He supposedly vowed to someday star in a movie with Newman where he would get top billing.

Their pairing was to have happened 5 years previously in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but when McQueen learned that Newman was to get top billing, he dropped out of the project. On this film, McQueen insisted upon having the same number of lines as Newman and also having the last spoken line. Because McQueen doesn't appear until 43 minutes into the story, this means that for the last 2 hours he dominates the film. As for screen credit, to satisfy their two stars, the studio put their names on the screen at the same time, with McQueen's on the left, but Newman's higher on the right. Some of the special effects are still impressive. The "miniature" used for the exterior shots of the building was over 70 feet tall. Considering it was made without the aid of computers, makes it even more impressive. The use of models, matte shots, and a very large set makes it appear believably that a skyscraper is on fire. Although, the realism of some of the effects doesn't apply to the logic of the fire's behavior. It begins almost immediately but remains in a small room without spreading or smothering itself for hours.

And the method for extinguishing it is equally implausible. I agree with Patrick that one of the film's biggest problems is the script. Much more time was spent on assembling the sets and setting up the special effects than was ever put into the story. And while no expense was spared in assembling this all star cast, they are almost universally wasted. My brother also called Astaire and Jones the best characters and this is sort of true, but it's more the baggage of the stars that make them so good rather than anything in the story. We see Astaire, not the silly con artist character he's supposed to be playing. It's also interesting that according to another behind the scenes story, while Newman and McQueen were fighting over who would get the most lines and top billing, Astaire and Jones sat uncomplaining in the smallest trailers on the lot. The other difference between this movie and The Poseidon Adventure that Patrick failed to mention is that The Poseidon Adventure is an hour shorter than this one. At 2 hours and 45 minutes, this movie is unforgivably long. It should have begun at the opening ceremony and thus eliminated the first third of the story.

All of the exposition prior to that could have been explained in one 5 minute conversation after the fire began. Instead of being a classic disaster movie, this one's just a disaster. Did you enjoy Scott's review? +3 The Towering Inferno Remind Me The Towering Inferno If there was one common denominator for the 1974 disaster flick The Towering Inferno, it was: BIG. Everything about the production was larger-than-life, from the astronomical budget, the powerhouse studio effort, the top stars, the fantastical storyline, massive sets, and the booming box office receipts. The film was the top grosser of the year - a good thing, considering the fact that it cost $14 million or more to make. Such a hefty price tag was manageable because it was a joint production between Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Brothers, the first of its kind for a major film effort like this. The two studios had purchased almost identical disaster-story properties: Fox had The Glass Inferno, Warner Bros owned The Tower. Fearing that such similar films might cancel each other out at the box office, the studios took producer Irwin Allen up on his idea to combine the two scripts, split the costs, and share in the profits.

Allen knew what he was doing with catastrophe flicks: he was the driving force behind The Poseidon Adventure (1972), a film that, with Airport (1970), whetted audiences' appetites for large-scale screen calamity. Allen hired screenwriter Stirling Silliphant, who also penned Poseidon, to combine the two stories into one script, now christened The Towering Inferno. Here's the plot in a nutshell: The world's tallest new building catches on fire during its grand opening, trapping hundreds of party-goers inside, and it's up to the fire chief and his men to save the day with the help of the building's architect. In a film where Fred Astaire, William Holden, and Jennifer Jones are the second-tier stars, you know it's going to be a doozy. Steve McQueen plays the no-nonsense fire chief, Paul Newman the architect, and Faye Dunaway stars as his girlfriend.

McQueen and Newman had not been in a film together since Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956); as an extra, McQueen vowed that he would one day have higher billing than Newman (reportedly, this was the missing component that made Steve turn down Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in 1969). McQueen almost got his wish with Inferno, or at least, an acceptable compromise: The actors' names were presented using diagonal billing, meaning that Steve's name was first when reading from left to right, but Newman's name was placed higher on the screen. McQueen also insisted that the two have the exact same number of lines in the script, were paid the same salary and received the same percentage of box office profits. Newman, for his part, never appeared bothered by McQueen's obvious chip on the shoulder and was relaxed and calm throughout production. As a comparison, Steve declared he was accepting no visitors or press interview invitations, while Paul just asked to be given advance notice on considering any press requests. William Holden was also rather prickly on-set, mostly because he didn't want to do the film in the first place.

He deemed the story to have "a lousy script" and of his character, the tower's builder, complained, "I spend all of the time talking on the phone." So why did he take the part? Moolah and lots of it! He collected $750k for his work, his largest paycheck in years. The money, however, did not prevent him from flipping out on often-tardy co-star Faye Dunaway. Biographer Bob Thomas revealed in Golden Boy: The Untold Story of William Holden that "For two hours one day, Bill waited on her to appear for an important scene. When she finally arrived, he took her by the shoulders and shoved her against the sound-stage wall. 'You do that to me once more,' he muttered, 'And I'll push you through that wall.' Set workers noted that Miss Dunaway's punctuality improved thereafter." Dunaway makes a curious statement in her autobiography Looking for Gatsby that may refer to the incident: "[Holden] and I had brushed up against each other briefly in Towering Inferno, a movie that had left a bad taste in his mouth." Interesting choice of words!

Inferno was Jennifer Jones' last film: her part was turned down by Olivia de Havilland and the industry rumor was that her millionaire husband (and hefty Fox stockholder) Norton Simon, had secured the role for her. An avid art collector, he also lent no less than four Picassos to be used as set decoration! The tireless Fred Astaire, by this point over forty years into his career, retained his trademark amiability, commenting in an interview from Astaire: The Man, the Dancer, by Bob Thomas: "Towering Inferno was a good cameo. If you're going to do a cameo, that was a good one to do, because it stood out. The other guys in the picture said, 'Hey, I wish I had that part.'" Jones and Astaire have a short dance scene together, something costume designer Paul Zastupnevich remembers the actress was very excited about. Yet despite their caliber, Jones and Astaire weren't treated exceptionally well by the studios: Zastupnevich remembers that they were initially relegated to trailer dressing rooms that were parked outside the stage area in the gutter, a situation finally resolved by his indignant insistence. But the two remained consummate professionals: in Edward Z.

Epstein's bio Portrait of Jennifer, the designer recalled, "It's amazing that she was paired off with Fred. I was amazed to discover that Fred, too, was so shy and reserved. Fred and Jennifer were so much alike! I suppose that's why they got along so well and blended so smoothly." Most of the medium and close shots were done on the Fox lot, where a full five floors of the skyscraper were constructed in full scale; in total, 57 sets were constructed there, setting a record for a single production. The coup de grace was the mammoth promenade deck set, which cost over $300k to construct and boasted a 340 foot long cyclorama around it to represent the city landscape the deck overlooks. It was destroyed--like most of the other sets--in the final scene by almost one million gallons of rushing water. In fact, after shooting wrapped, only 8 sets were left standing. In keeping with the film's larger-than-life nature, even the miniature replica of the glass tower was big: using half-inch scale, the 138-floor building came in at 70 feet... that's roughly a 5-story building!

Real-life locations were used for key shots: for example, the scenic elevator and lobby area were graciously provided by the Hyatt Regency Hotel in San Francisco. To capture the action, a then-record number of four camera crews were used to cover character filming, aerial shots, special effects, and, of course, the action sequences. Working in such a precarious environment meant that the producers took no chances with safety: over 30 members from the San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Fox Studio fire departments were hired as consultants to supervise the action scenes. In addition, a fireman was assigned to each member of the cast during scenes where potentially dangerous effects were being used. As stunt coordinator Paul Stader pointed out, "In most films, if something goes wrong a stuntman would get hurt. In The Towering Inferno, if something had gone wrong a stuntman could have been killed." Aside from thoroughly entertaining audiences, The Towering Inferno also brought attention to safety issues regarding tall buildings, as well as recognizing the men and women who were committed to helping in perilous situations.

As its opening credit message indicates: "To those who give their lives, so that others may live--to the firefighters of the world--this picture is gratefully dedicated." The Fox PR machine pulled out the stops when it arranged for McQueen to be dubbed an honorary L.A. firefighter. The film reportedly inspired an increase in safety awareness with a reexamination of building codes in many cities, and it had a personal effect on a few people directly associated with the film. Allen switched his New York hotel suite to the 5th floor from the 38th, and Newman allegedly stopped seeing his dentist...whose office was on the 14th floor. In terms of box office, The Towering Inferno did well, grossing almost ten times its budget; with eight total, it also scored in terms of Oscar® nominations. The film ultimately walked away with three: Best Song, and two of the most technically coveted awards - for Best Cinematography and Best Editing. Beyond the star-studded primary cast, viewers will also spot Richard Chamberlain, Robert Wagner, and O.J. Simpson.

But keep an eye out for Newman's son Scott in a bit role as a fireman and Mike Lookinland (aka Bobby Brady) as a child in need of rescue. Readers interested in learning more behind the scenes information should visit webpage, a fascinating reference for any Towering Inferno enthusiast. Producer: Irwin Allen Director: John Guillermin, Irwin Allen Screenplay: Stirling Silliphant Film Editing: Carl Kress, Harold F. Kress Art Direction: Ward Preston Music: John Williams Cast: Steve McQueen (Chief Michael O'Hallorhan), Paul Newman (Doug Roberts), William Holden (James Duncan), Faye Dunaway (Susan Franklin), Fred Astaire (Harlee Claiborne), Susan Blakely (Patty Simmons). C-165m. Letterboxed. The Towering Inferno The Towering Inferno By Patrick Mondout The world's largest skyscraper has just opened and many of the movers and shakers who are responsible for it are partying (like it's 1949) on the top floor (the 130th floor!).

Unfortunately, cost-cutting measures have compromised the safety of the building and a single spark from faulty electrical wiring is all that was needed to engulf it in flames. The ensuing chaos includes extramarital-lovers being burned to death, a firemen falling through an elevator shaft a hundred (or so) floors this his death, and heart-wrenching, Titanic-like decisions about who gets to go down the one working elevator to safety. Actually, the story of how this movie came about is at least as interesting as the movie: In the early Super70s, a pair of movie studios purchased separate scripts which both featured skyscraper engulfed in flames (Warner Brothers owned Richard Martin Stern's "The Tower," and 20th Century Fox owned Thomas Scotia/Frank Robinson's "The Glass Inferno,"). Rather than compete with one another, they decided to pool their resources and filming began in early 1973. This was quickly becoming the Decade of the Disaster Film and 'Inferno cost a breathtaking (by 1974 standards) $14 million to make but returned $150 million in worldwide release. It took two directors to handle one of the biggest all-star casts to grace the silver screen.

Over 200 stunts were performed for the movie, including the famous last scene where millions of gallons of water were poured over the party-goers. The all-star cast was wasted on this box-office burner which received far more Academy Award nominations than it deserved. Paul Newman played the architect of the ill-fated building, Steve McQueen was a firefighter, and Fred Astaire was one of the folks trapped on the top floor (this was a roll for which he was Oscar-nominated). A security guard in the burning building, O.J. Simpson landed a role where he actually gets to save lives! Before you get your hopes up, he only manages to rescue a cat (hey Juice, how's that search for the "real" killer coming along?). Trivia! Both Steve McQueen and Paul Newman performed their own stunt work for this movie. Academy Awards The Towering Inferno received Academy Awards for Cinematography (Fred J. Koenekamp & Joseph Biroc), Film Editing (Harold F. Kress & Carl Kress), and Music: Best Song (Al Kasha - Music & Lyrics, Joel Hirschhorn - Music & Lyrics).

The Towering Inferno also received Academy Awards nominations for Best Picture (Irwin Allen - Producer), Supporting Actor (Fred Astaire), Art Direction/Set Decoration (William Creber - Art Direction, Ward Preston - Art Direction, Raphael Bretton - Set Decoration), Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Dramatic Score; John Williams), and Sound (Theodore Soderberg & Herman Lewis). Share Your Memories! Is The Towering Inferno one of your favorite movies? What do you remember about it? Share your stories (or your reviews) with the world ! (We print the best stories right here!) Your Memories Shared! "This is a movie with heart !! Who could ever forget the lovely Susan Flannery as the sympathetic Lorrie , a beautiful , brave , and loving young women who affirms her love in the face of death ? If you didn't feel for her you have no heart !" --Spellman "It's hard to watch this movie post 9/11 and not think about all those people trapped in the towers. I first watched this movie in awe as a child. Then for fun as cheesy Super70s kitsch.

Now it's just sad." --Anonymous "I was only 5 years old when this movie came out and I liked it then and I liked it now. Many relatives including myself had been firefighters at one point in our lives. By watching this movie today, I can assure you that Duncan would had rather jumped off the burning building himself considering ALL the lawsuits he would be up against, including possible criminal negligence charges and the other people who'd be responsible such as Doug Roberts (better hide back into the wilderness), Roger Simmmons (He already met his fate in the film) and maybe even the security department and yes, the fire departments may get nailed as well. Oh, yeah, the inspectors, the builders, the city, etc. This would be a legal mess, huh???...Now, if they actually did a movie of such, I'd like to see how it turns out. Titled: THE TOWERING INFERNO AFTERMATH [Editor's note: "Mr. Grisham, pick up the white courtesy phone please."]" --Charious

Question: Who played the architect in The Towering Inferno
Answer: Paul Newman